~ June 2006 - Weight Loss - Low Risk Approaches to Success

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New Natural Appetite Suppressant - Life Extension has developed a brand new natural appetite suppressant utilizing the Korean pine nut, a natural appetite suppressant. As reported in Medical News Today (08 April 2006), "In the face of the growing obesity health challenge, 'appetite suppressants are increasingly interesting because they work on the very simple premise of "What you don't eat now, you won't need to lose later,"' Alexandra Einerhand, director, nutrition and toxicology-Europe at Lipid Nutrition notes.

Einerhand says that in a study, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) derived from 'Korean pine nuts, which have been part of our diet since before ancient Greek and Roman times, stimulated two well-known appetite suppressing peptide hormones at the same time that overweight women reported significantly less desire to eat only 30 minutes after ingestion,' compared with an olive oil placebo.

In a paper being presented in an American Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology 2006, Einerhand reports that in this randomized, double-blind cross-over trial, the greatest effect was observed after just 30 minutes, with the 18 women reporting a 29% reduction in 'desire to eat' and a 36% drop in 'prospective food intake' scores. Their subjective feelings of appetite were evaluated by visual analog scales, a validated scoring system.

The experiment found a parallel and significant increase in cholecystokinin (CCK) of 60% and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) of 25% that remained as long as four hours after ingestion. CCK and GLP1 are appetite suppressors, which 'send signals of satiation to the brain diminishing the desire to eat and food intake usually significantly,' she adds."

Each easy-to-take softgel of Natural Appetite Control provides 1000mg of a standardized extract of Korean pine nuts containing the highest concentration of pinolenic acid found in any pine nut species.

What Makes People Fat, Why Diets Don't Work, and What Triggers Appetite?

Dr. Michael T. Murray
Reprinted with permission.

There is no denying it; obesity is now a major epidemic in the United States. In response, researchers have been diligently seeking the answer three important questions - What makes people fat, why diets don't work, and what triggers appetite?

The answer to the first question can be answered simplistically. Obesity is simply the result of eating more calories than are being burned by the body. However, it is much more complex of an issue than that. In fact, what modern research has uncovered is that obesity is not just a matter of overeating.

There are sound physiological reasons why some people can eat very large quantities of calories and not increase their weight substantially while for others just the reverse is true. It is beyond the scope of this article to go into great detail, so I will limit the discussion to taking a look at some of the interesting aspects of why some people are prone to obesity and how to effectively promote weight loss by improving insulin sensitivity and impacting appetite regulating compounds.

Recent advances in dietary science have highlighted the crucial role of insulin in weight gain. Produced in the pancreas, insulin is a critical hormone for the control of blood sugar (glucose). Its job is to transport glucose into cells, where the glucose is burned as fuel. While this process is necessary for life, abnormalities in the insulin-glucose system caused by aging, lack of exercise and poor diet can cause major health problems. In aging, cells become more resistant to the effects of insulin. As cells become increasingly insulin resistant, the body compensates by increasing the number of insulin receptors on cells and secreting more insulin in an attempt to drive more blood sugar into muscle and liver cells (Fulop 2003).

Insulin resistance is a dangerous condition. Research suggests that adipose tissue (fat) is a source of pro-inflammatory chemicals that have a role in the development of insulin resistance (Sharma AM et al 2005). Insulin resistance is associated with obesity (in particular, abdominal obesity) (Greenfield JR et al. 2004). It is also associated with aging muscle (Nair KS 2005), physical inactivity, and genetics.

This increase in insulin (called hyperinsulinemia) and decreased insulin sensitivity have a number of harmful effects, including contributing to diseases associated with being overweight (Zeman et al 2005; Garveyet al 1998)
Over time, high insulin and insulin resistance may lead to type 2 diabetes in susceptible individuals, a major risk factor for heart disease. A study sponsored by the NIH showed that over a 10-year period, hyperinsulinemia was associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, independent of other risk factors (NIH 1985).

Controlling insulin levels as we age is essential for overall health, longevity, and weight management. An increasing number of physicians recognize the role of insulin resistance in the current obesity epidemic. The good news is that nonprescription drugs and low-cost dietary supplements that have demonstrated beneficial effects upon insulin action are already available.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is found in ruminant meats such as beef and lamb and in dairy products such as milk and cheese. Many studies support the anticancer, antiobesity, antidiabetic, and antiatherogenic properties of CLA (Lee et al 1994; Park et al 1997, 1999; West et al 1998; Yamasaki et al 2003).

CLA and Fat Loss

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been extensively studied for its ability to maintain lean muscle mass and promote fat loss. Researchers from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, noted CLA's mechanisms of action are still largely unknown, although it appears to modulate energy expenditure, fatty acid oxidation, lipolysis and lipogenesis. In addition, reviews have noted there is marked variation in human clinicals, often with isomer-dependent influences.

However, intervention studies using proprietary CLA compounds have shown both short-term and long-term benefits to the use of CLA on body fat mass. In a four-week trial, men taking 4.2 g/d of CLA (as Tonalin®, from Cognis Nutrition & Health) showed a significant decrease in abdominal diameter. Similar results were seen in a 12-week intervention in 60 overweight or obese subjects, who received 1.7, 3.4, 5.1 or 6.8 g/d of CLA (as Tonalin). There was a significantly higher reduction in body fat mass in the CLA groups compared to placebo, with a significant reductions reported in the 3.4 and 6.8 g/d groups.
Results from a one-year study using CLA (as Tonalin) were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in early 2004.

The double blind, placebo-controlled study randomized 180 men and women with a BMI of 25 to 30 into three groups to receive a placebo or 4.5 g/d of CLA (as Tonalin) in free fatty acid or triglyceride form. Researchers found a significant decrease in body fat mass in both CLA groups by as much as 9 percent; the CLA free fatty acid group also had an increase in lean body mass compared to placebo.

The results were not attributable to changes in diet or exercise, and no adverse events were reported. And in an open-label, one-year continuation of that study, researchers reported CLA supplementation helped maintain fat loss and lean body mass. Interestingly, at the end of the two-year period, CLA was also found to lower levels of leptin, promoting better sensitivity to the hormone and helping satiety.

Because of the fat burning, or thermogenic effects of 7-keto DHEA, simultaneous supplementation with antioxidants is recommended to help guard against excessive free radical production. Animal studies have shown that 7-keto DHEA is not converted into testosterone or estradiol (Lardy et al 1995). Unlike caffeine or ephedra, 7-keto DHEA does not have a noradrenaline-induced central nervous system stimulating effect, nor does 7-keto increase heart rate or blood pressure.

DHEA Cautions

* Do not take DHEA if you could be pregnant, are breastfeeding, or could have prostate, breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer.

* DHEA can cause androgenic effects in woman such as acne, deepening of the voice, facial hair growth and hair loss.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an astonishing two of every three American adults are overweight. Simply put, being overweight poses grave health risks for aging adults. Excess fat can unleash a cascade of pathological effects in the body, damaging every cell and organ system while increasing the risk of age-related health problems.

A recently published study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that overweight adults who followed a program of modest caloric restriction achieved significant reductions in body fat mass in just six months, while improving the ability of cells to normally utilize insulin.1

A natural plant extract discovered in Europe has been found to dramatically suppress appetite without stimulatory effects. Extracted from the nuts of the Korean pine, (Pinus koraiensis), pinolenic acid stimulates the release of two of the body's most powerful hunger suppressing hormones: CCK (cholecystokinin) and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1).2 This not only helps the body digest fats better, but also sends a feeling of satiety or "fullness" to the brain, decreasing the desire to eat and helping to control excessive calorie intake.

Life Extension's Natural Appetite Control formula was developed for adults seeking to lower their calorie intake and maintain a successful, long term weight management program. Each softgel of Natural Appetite Control provides 1000mg of a standardized extract of Korean pine nuts containing the highest concentration of pinolenic acid found in any pine nut species.

This supplement should be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise program. Results may vary.

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